Florida State Basketball

Spain international Baba Miller announced his commitment to Florida State on Monday, per Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

The small forward, considered a top international basketball prospect, chose the Seminoles over Gonzaga.

"I could see an actual family at Florida State," Miller said. "I saw a very close relationship between everyone. That was a big part of my decision."

The 6'11" prospect helped the Real Madrid U18 team win the 2020-21 Adidas Next Generation Tournament and made one appearance on the senior team.

Miller has been in the Real Madrid academy since he was 12 years old, finishing last season with the B Team averaging 11.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in 24 minutes, per Givony.

The versatile player has the size of a big man and can play inside, while he also shot 35 percent from three-point range in 2020-21. Florida State has developed similar players in recent years, with Scottie Barnes and Patrick Williams becoming top-five picks in the NBA draft.

"The style of play matches mine with my abilities and the freedom that they gave their players to make plays at any position," Miller said of Florida State.

The Seminoles have also developed several top international players. Last year's team had Anthony Polite from Switzerland and Tanor Ngom from Senegal, while fellow international prospects Mfiondu Kabengele (Canada), Balsa Koprivica (Serbia) and Christ Koumadje (Chad) found roles in recent seasons.

Florida State struggled to a 17-14 record last season, missing the NCAA tournament, but the 2022 class already had five commits before adding Miller, including 4-star center Cameron Corhen.

Gonzaga could have used another addition as it looks to contend for a title in 2022-23, although the team should still be elite with Drew Timme and Julian Strawther returning.

Florida State University president John Thrasher denied school officials have communicated with the SEC about aligning with the conference.

"I want to be clear that persistent reports that Florida State has been in contact with the Southeastern Conference are untrue," Thrasher said Tuesday. "We have had no communication with the SEC or any representatives of the SEC."

Marc Ryan of ESPN Upstate reported Monday that both FSU and Clemson had made contact with the conference.

SEC member schools voted unanimously to admit Texas and Oklahoma into the conference ahead of the 2025-26 school year. The decision is likely to have a massive ripple effect, with a possible super-conference era on the horizon.

In the event the SEC isn't content to add just the Longhorns and Sooners, Florida State and Clemson would be obvious targets. They're within the conference's geographic region and have the kind of name recognition that would likely enhance a media rights profile.

Two big factors could prevent this from happening, at least for the foreseeable future.

In July 2016, the ACC and ESPN agreed to a media rights deal through 2035-36. Unless Clemson and/or Florida State is willing to challenge that contract in court or pay through the nose to break it, they might be staying put for a while.

There's also ESPN's perceived role in Texas and Oklahoma's move to the SEC.

The Athletic's Bruce Feldman and Sam Khan Jr. spoke to one AD, who said their exits had been months in the making and that "ESPN has been right in the middle of it."

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby also sent the company a cease and desist letter and alleged ESPN was "intentionally interfering with our business operations by encouraging other conferences to poach the members of the Big 12 and providing incentives to them to do so," per USA Today's Paul Myerberg and Steve Berkowitz.

Burke Magnus, ESPN's president of programming and original content, responded to say the allegations "are entirely without merit."

Still, ESPN benefits from the Big 12 losing its two biggest schools to the SEC, a conference that's a primary partner for the network. ESPN in December spent $3 billion to assume what's now the SEC's broadcast rights deal with CBS.

The financial advantages of Clemson and Florida State in the SEC might be negligible for ESPN because it would significantly weaken the drawing power of the ACC and ACC Network, the latter of which is an ESPN channel.

All of the hurdles standing in Florida State's way and Thrasher's comments are unlikely to quell the speculation about the Seminoles perhaps leaving the ACC behind.

Florida State forward Scottie Barnes is joining the ranks of men's college basketball's one-and-dones after declaring for the NBA draft on Friday:

The 19-year-old put together a solid year at FSU while averaging 10.3 points, 4.1 assists and 4.0 rebounds as the Seminoles made a run to the Sweet 16. Now he's looking ahead to his pro career. 

The West Palm Beach, Florida, native was ranked No. 7 in the nation overall as a high school recruit by 247Sports, which also named him the top power forward in the class of 2020 and a future first-round NBA pick. 

Jerry Meyer at 247Sports compared Barnes to Jarred Vanderbilt out of high school. The Athletic's Sam Vecenie took that a step further in his January Big Board, where he projected Barnes as a lottery pick and described him as a "'do it all but scoring' wing/forward/point." 

Now Barnes will find out how many other teams are willing to bet on him, too. The forward could still return to FSU next year as long as he withdraws from the draft pool by Monday, July 19 and doesn't hire an agent.

That will give him the opportunity to be evaluated by pro teams before committing to any future plans.

Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton's NCAA tournament hasn't gotten off to the smoothest start—and his team hasn't even played yet. 

The 72-year-old told ESPN Radio he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon while exiting a team bus Sunday. 

"Listen, if this is the only issue I'm going to have in life, I'm going to have a great life," Hamilton said (h/t CBS Sports' Kyle Boone). "I've never been injured and I ruptured my Achilles. But hey listen, I'm fine."

Hamilton joked he was chasing after a referee in the parking lot when the injury occurred.

In actuality, he misjudged how far the steps of the bus were from the pavement and fell to the ground, hurting his ankle and wrist, as well, per Curt Weiler of the Tallahassee Democrat. 

No. 4 seed FSU opens its tournament run against No. 13 UNC Greensboro on Saturday at 12:45 p.m. ET at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and Hamilton will be there. The coach is walking under his own power and plans to be as active as ever on the sideline. 

"Nothing will change," Hamilton said. "Zero."

Ironically, this isn't the first time a coach ruptured his Achilles heading into the NCAA tournament. In 2015, Georgia State's Ron Hunter injured his leg while celebrating a 38-36 win over Georgia Southern in the Sun Belt championship, and the run that followed was nothing short of spectacular. 

Georgia State knocked off No. 3 Baylor 57-56 on a buzzer-beater from Hunter's son RJ after the No. 14 seed trailed by 12 late. The excitement over the shot knocked Hunter off the stool he was using to support himself and made for one of the more unforgettable March celebrations in recent memory.

If Hamilton's Seminoles have a similar stroke of luck, the coach may have to delay any further treatment for a few more weeks.

Unranked Notre Dame upset No. 11 Florida State 83-73 on Saturday at Purcell Pavilion in South Bend, Indiana.

The Fighting Irish benefited from a dominant first half that saw them lead by 16 at the break, and they were spearheaded by junior guard Prentiss Hubb, who led all scorers with 22 points.

Notre Dame improved to 10-14 on the season and 7-11 in ACC play, while the Seminoles fell to 15-5 overall with an 11-4 conference record.

Saturday's contest represented the final regular-season game for both teams ahead of the ACC tournament next week.

FSU can still secure the No. 1 seed in the ACC tournament with a Virginia loss to Louisville on Saturday, but if Virginia wins, the Seminoles will be the No. 2 seed.

Notre Dame got the better of Florida State in essentially every area Saturday. The Irish shot 42.6 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from beyond the arc and 82.4 percent from the free-throw line, compared to 40.6 percent, 25.0 percent and 75.0 percent from FSU.

The Irish also out-rebounded the Seminoles 38-35 and had just 17 personal fouls compared to Florida State's 23.

Fox College Hoops tweeted some highlights from Notre Dame's impressive, unexpected win:

NCAA March Madness noted Saturday's victory was the Irish's first against a ranked team since 2017.

For Notre Dame, five of the seven players who saw the court Saturday scored in double figures. That included guard Dane Goodwin, who contributed 15 points and nine rebounds off the bench.

Meanwhile, only two Florida State starters scored in double figures, while guard Scottie Barnes paced the team off the bench with 17 points to go with nine rebounds.

The Seminoles are 1-2 over the past three games following a four-game winning streak. With losses to North Carolina and Notre Dame recently, they clearly aren't playing their best basketball heading into the ACC tournament.

Notre Dame was riding a four-game losing streak entering Saturday's game, with losses to Syracuse, Louisville, Boston College and NC State.

The Fighting Irish need to run the table and win the ACC tournament to have any chance of qualifying for the NCAA tournament, but given the momentum on their side after upsetting FSU, perhaps a Cinderella run isn't out of the question.

Florida State has agreed to a five-year extension with men's basketball coach Leonard Hamilton, the school announced Monday.

According to Andrea Adelson of ESPN, the deal is worth $2.25 million per year and will keep the 72-year-old under contract through the 2024-25 season.

Hamilton also has up to $2 million in bonuses each year in his contract that include $150,000 for winning the ACC regular season and $200,000 for making the NCAA tournament.

Florida State director of athletics David Coburn noted the school's willingness to keep him aboard indefinitely:

"Coach Hamilton has done so much for this basketball program and this university that it is hard to express in words. What he does with his young men, both on and off the court, is truly remarkable.  I know both the President and I regard him as a university treasure, and he is just now getting the national recognition he has deserved for so long. He embodies all the qualities that make a great leader, and we are proud and thrilled to have him as our coach as long as he wishes."

Hamilton is in his 19th season with the Seminoles and is the program's all-time winningest coach.

The current squad is ranked 11th in the latest Associated Press poll and is in first place in the ACC with a 10-3 conference record. 

Last season, Florida State was ranked No. 4 after winning the ACC regular-season title, but the NCAA tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hamilton still has an impressive resume that includes one ACC tournament title with three trips to the Sweet 16 and one Elite Eight.

He has been named ACC Coach of the Year three times since taking over in 2002.

"While I am proud of everything we have accomplished, there is still room for improvement, and we have so much more to accomplish," Hamilton said.

Highly touted combo guard Jalen Warley committed to Florida State on Sunday. 

Warley announced his decision on Instagram.

The Norristown, Pennsylvania, native is the No. 3 combo guard and No. 23 overall player in the 2021 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. He set a high bar for his aims with the Seminoles.

247Sports compared Warley to Denver Nuggets guard PJ Dozier:

"At right around 6-foot-4, Warley has the size to play off the ball and also the ability to be a primary ball handler who makes others better. He doesn’t possess elite athleticism, but his size, basketball intelligence and feel for the game show on both ends of the court. On defensive he is capable of switching and guarding multiple positions, while on offense he can run a team or be a primary scorer if that is asked of him."

Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton has already assembled a strong class for 2021. The Seminoles sit first in 247Sports' composite team rankings. Warley joins shooting guard Matthew Cleveland, shooting guard Bryce McGowens, center John Butler and center Naheem McLeod.

Hamilton's emphasis on the backcourt underscores how much that will be a need when Warley arrives on campus.

Leading scorer Devin Vassell opted to test the NBA waters following his sophomore season, while second-leading scorer Trent Forrest is graduating. M.J. Walker has one more season of eligibility after averaging 10.6 points for Florida State in 2019-20. 

Florida State reached the Elite Eight in 2018 and Sweet 16 in 2019. Another deep run might have beckoned for the 26-5 Seminoles this spring if the NCAA hadn't canceled the men's basketball tournament.

Warley's proclamation that FSU fans should prepare for a national title is certainly bold, but it might be an attainable goal for him and his teammates in Tallahassee.

Former Florida State center Michael Ojo died on Friday at the age of 27. 

Stefan Djordjevic of EuroHoops.net reported Ojo died after collapsing at an individual practice with Partizan in Belgrade, Serbia. ESPN's Jonathan Givony noted that Ojo's former team Red Star Belgrade was awaiting autopsy results to confirm the cause of death. 

Citing Serbian news outlets, Givony said Ojo was "taken to a local hospital and could not be resuscitated."

After going undrafted by NBA teams, Ojo signed with Serbian club KK FMP and spent one season with them before joining Red Star. He appeared in 38 games over the past two seasons with Red Star, including 22 during the 2019-20 campaign before the EuroLeague season was suspended and subsequently canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Ojo played four seasons at Florida State from 2013 to '17. He was used primarily off the bench during his first two years before being moved into the starting lineup as a junior.

In 131 career games for the Seminoles, Ojo averaged 2.7 points and 2.5 rebounds. The Nigeria native shot 52.5 percent from the field. 

One of the top 2021 recruits is off the board after Matthew Cleveland committed to Florida State on Tuesday. 

Cleveland told Sports Illustrated's Jason Jordan that he picked the Seminoles from a group of schools that included Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina State and Stanford. 

Jordan noted last week that Kentucky and North Carolina tried to make a late push to get into Cleveland's top five, but the Georgia native already decided which programs made his final list. 

"I know that those are two of the schools that most players wait to hear from," Cleveland told Jordan. "They're great programs, but I had put so much time into coming up with my list. I had built a connection with those coaches, and it was tough to get it to five. I was set on those schools." 

A 6'6" shooting guard from Pace Academy, Cleveland has earned high marks from scouts for his shooting ability. 

Jerry Meyer of 247Sports offered this assessment of Cleveland's skill set:

"Good length for a wing scorer. An explosive athlete with top notch body control. Slasher who specializes in making tough shots. Can keep defense honest with long range shooting but needs to improve in that area. Handles well especially in half court. Not necessarily a playmaker for others. Great potential as a versatile defender. Top notch rebounder for his position."

According to 247Sports' composite rankings, Cleveland is a 4-star prospect who is the No. 3 shooting guard and No. 24 overall prospect in the 2021 class. 

Given the ability Cleveland already possesses as a scorer, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Seminoles head coach Leonard Hamilton help him develop into one of the best players in college basketball as a freshman. 

If Cleveland can develop his playmaking skills in order to get his teammates more involved without sacrificing his shooting, there's no telling how high his ceiling can be. 

Hamilton continues to push all the right buttons with this program. His coaching and recruiting staff have had tremendous success in recent years developing players with athleticism and size, like Mfiondu Kabengele, Devin Vassell and Jonathan Isaac. 

One reason that Hamilton has had so much success in his 19 years at Florida State is recruiting players who fit his system. The Seminoles haven't suddenly become a recruiting powerhouse—their 2019 class was ranked 19th overall by 247Sports' composite rankings, the first time they finished in the top 20 in four years.

Cleveland's all-around skill set will help him quickly acclimate himself into Florida State's system as soon as he arrives in Tallahassee. He could crack the starting five as a true freshman next year and will likely play a key role in the team's quest for ACC dominance. 

Florida State sophomore Devin Vassell has declared for the 2020 NBA draft with two more years of eligibility remaining.

He announced his decision on his Instagram page Monday.

He will have the opportunity to return to school if he withdraws by June 15.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman listed the guard as the No. 14 overall player in his postseason big board.

Vassell is coming off a breakout 2019-20 campaign where he became one of the most important players on a deep Florida State squad that exceeded most expectations while winning the ACC title.

The 6'6" wing averaged 12.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.0 blocks and 1.4 steals per game, shooting 41.5 percent from three-point range.

It's all part of a meteoric rise for a player who was a 3-star recruit out of high school and considered the No. 200 player in the 2018 class, per 247Sports composite rankings. Vassell also had a limited role as a freshman, averaging just 4.5 points in 10.7 minutes per game for the Seminoles.

There was more playing time available in his second season, and he was a difference-maker on both ends of the court.

His skill set is also exactly what NBA teams are looking for as key parts of their rotation at the next level.

Vassell is a strong defender who can match up with bigger guards on the perimeter while affecting the game with his ability to get steals and blocks. He can also get red hot offensively, including his 7-of-7 effort from three-point range in a win over Virginia Tech this year.

This could help him go off the board early in the upcoming draft.